By Blain Daniel
University of North Texas
November 5, 2024
When you applied to college, what major did you select and why?
When I applied to college, I selected “Public Health” as my major. Like many students who are unsure how to pick a major, I knew I wanted to be on the pre-med track and was confused for a while about what I should major in. After learning that GPA is one of the top factors for medical school admissions, I talked to a relative who was a Public Health major on the pre-med track. She explained that the major allowed her to manage her coursework well and maintain a strong GPA. That sold me immediately!
What did you end up declaring as your major? How is it different from what you originally applied as?
Students often ask, “Can I change my major after applying?” or “Can I change my major in college?” and in my experience, yes! I ended up declaring “Biochemistry” as my major, which meant not only switching majors but also switching colleges: from the College of Health and Public Service to the College of Science.
Public health focuses more on promoting wellness and protecting people and communities from disease and injury. In contrast, biochemistry focuses on the chemical processes of living organisms by studying chemical changes in cells and molecules found in the body and how these molecules interact in processes. I guess you could say the majors are related in a way: Public health focuses on preventing diseases and prolonging life in a population, and biochemistry studies these diseases in depth.
What factors led you to realize your original major wasn't a good fit for you?
Three factors led me to believe my original major wasn’t a good fit for me:
- I wouldn’t be challenged. Challenging yourself isn’t a bad thing. It helps you develop your problem-solving skills and learn how to think differently. My original major wouldn’t have pushed me all the way.
- Public Health was not my true passion. Yes, it’s interesting, and being an epidemiologist (a career that involved public health) was one of my previous career options. However, I later realized science (specifically chemistry and biology) is what I truly enjoyed. I love studying it, and it often doesn’t feel like work to me because of how interesting it is. Yes, it’s challenging, but passion trumps difficulty every time. Just because something is considered “harder” doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it.
- It wouldn’t correlate well with my backup plan if I decided not to pursue medical school down the line. I’m in between 3 career options at the moment. It’s either becoming a physician, physician-scientist, or a full-time researcher. I’m really interested in cancer research, which is why being a cancer researcher (or any other research that focuses on cells) appeals to me. Biochemistry would give me the knowledge for both of my career options, while Public Health wouldn’t give me the in-depth knowledge needed for a career in cancer research.
Who supported you in navigating this decision?
My Matriculate Advising Fellow, friends, and family supported me in this decision. My Advising Fellow provided help picking a major by introducing me to Biochemistry and told me about what he loved about it, and supported me in my decision to pursue the major. My friends, who are also science majors, supported my decision by giving me a safe place to talk about my choice and why. My family supported me by telling me to do what I thought was right for me instead of pushing me to pursue a specific major; this freedom enabled me to do my own research when selecting my major.
How did you realize that you found the right major for you?
When I continued to research other majors, I realized Public Health wasn’t for me; I always went back to Biochemistry. Additionally, when I started college and began to take classes for my major, I enjoyed it and was challenged in the best way possible. I had great personal growth from them and learned to utilize resources on campus that would prove to be useful in my harder classes later on.
How did Matriculate help you with this?
My Advising Fellow was also a biochemistry major. When he told me more about the major, it seemed so interesting and the way he explained it helped me realize why I loved my bio/chem classes. My Advising Fellow also talked about his minor and how it helped him have something else in his life other than science. It made me see how you can balance your different interests instead of focusing on just one.
Anything else?
I also included a Music minor because I believe pursuing passion is important. Lots of people major in things they believe make money but they don’t actually enjoy it. Minors give you a chance to be involved in something you enjoy. For me, I used my hobby of playing piano to select the music minor to one day have a side career as a pianist.
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MEET THE AUTHOR
Blain Daniel
Blain is a first-year biochemistry student at the University of North Texas (UNT), pursuing an MD/PhD to become a physician-scientist. As a Matriculate Student Ambassador, she leads information sessions about Matriculate to schools and partner organizations, while also contributing blog posts for the Student Resources Hub with the support of staff. Blain is dedicated to informing high school students about the opportunities Matriculate provides to help first-generation students achieve their college goals.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Blain is a first-generation college student, which inspired her passion for supporting others in similar situations. She actively participates in an organization at UNT called Hearts for the Homeless, where she helps provide free EKG, blood pressure, and weight measurements for individuals experiencing homelessness. Blain is passionate about scientific discovery and is currently involved in the PHAGES research program at UNT, where she isolates bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—from soil. Blain graduated in 2024 as the Salutatorian of her high school class. Therefore, her recent experience as a High School Fellow has enabled her to share her experiences with you.